Gallery: Award-winning Oscar trivia

02.19.2013

1. No sentimental favourite for best supporting actor this year.
For perhaps the first time in the history of the Academy Awards, all of the actors who are up for best supporting actor have already won an Oscar. This is notable because the best-supporting actor gold often goes to thespians who are old and haven’t won before: think Don Ameche for Cocoon (1985), Sean Connery for The Untouchables (1987) and Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine (2006). But this year, every nominee has had their turn giving an acceptance speech, albeit not always in this category. Arkin is up again for Argo. Robert De Niro, who is up for Silver Linings Playbook, won a best-supporting Oscar for 1975’s The Godfather II and a best actor statue for Raging Bull in 1981. Philip Seymour Hoffman, nominated for The Master, won in 2006 in the lead actor category for Capote. Tommy Lee Jones is a favourite for his role in Lincoln, but it would be his second time winning the award after taking the gold for The Fugitive in 1994. Christoph Waltz, nominated for Django Unchained, won in the same category with the same director in 2009 for Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.

2. Actresses both young and old.
There are two history-making nominees this year in the best-actress category. At 85, French actress Emmanuelle Riva of Amour is five years older than Jessica Tandy, who was previously the eldest nominee when she received the nomination, and the win, for 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy. Meanwhile, Beasts of the Southern Wild actress Quvenzhane Wallis is the youngest to ever receive a nod in this category. She is four years younger than 2003 nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes, who received the nomination for Whale Rider.By Ben Richardson
/ eOne

3. Oscar’s first three-timer in the best actor category?
Should British thespian Daniel Day-Lewis win as expected this year for Lincoln. he will be the first actor in Oscar history to win three statues for best actor. Jack Nicholson came close, picking up two best-actor wins for 1998’s As Good as It Gets and 1976’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. But his third win, in 1982 for Terms of Endearment, was in the best-supporting actor category. Character actor Walter Brennan, meanwhile, won Oscars for Come and Get It (1936), Kentucky (1939) and The Westerner (1940). But they were all in the best supporting actor category.GARY HERSHORN
/ REUTERS

4. Abe and the Oscars
Daniel Day-Lewis is up for best actor for his portrayal of the 16th president of the United States. He is the second actor to be nominated for the role, the first being Canadian Raymond Massey for 1940’s Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Still, the role has been played by numerous thespians who have either been nominated or won Oscar gold for other roles, including: Walter Huston, Henry Fonda, Hal Holbrook, F. Murray Abraham and Jason Robards.David James, SMPSP

5. Silver Linings Playbook’s rare achievement.
Director David O. Russell’s off-kilter romance received nominations in what are generally considered the top six categories. It’s up for best picture, best director, best actor for Bradley Cooper, best actress for Jennifer Lawrence, best supporting actress for Jacki Weaver and best supporting actor for Robert De Niro. There are lots of movies that have come close to this achievement, but to find that last film that earned nods in all six you have to go back to 1981’s Reds. Warren Beatty’s pet project won him the gold for best director and also won Maureen Stapleton her first Oscar after four nominations in the best supporting actress category. It was also up for best picture, Beatty was nominated for best actor, Diane Keaton was up for best actress and Jack Nicholson was nominated for best supporting actor.